What to Bring to Your Consultation with a Wellington Paralysis Attorney

One of the biggest mistakes you can make if you intend to file a spinal cord injury claim is waiting too long to speak with a paralysis attorney. Many people try to take a conscientious approach by gathering lots of evidence before their legal consultation, only to find out that time-sensitive evidence that they overlooked has become unavailable.

Don’t worry about performing an investigation of your own; your Wellington spinal cord injury lawyer will handle that for you. The sooner you meet with a personal injury attorney, the quicker the investigation can begin, and the higher the chance that valuable evidence will still be available.

That said, it is still a good idea to bring any evidence you’ve already gathered with you to the free consultation. Such evidence may include:

Documents Received from Your Healthcare Providers: Your medical records will be needed to prove damages. If the insurance company or defendant argues that you are exaggerating the severity of your injuries or inflating the value of medical costs and related expenses, your medical records will serve as valuable evidence to counter such defenses.

Medical Records from Before the Injury: If you had a back injury or another condition that affected the central nervous system, the opposing party might dispute causation, asserting that you would have accrued the medical bills and other damages you are claiming even if the tort had not happened. Your medical records from the before the accident may be needed to counter this defense.

Records Pertaining to Your Pre-Injury Income: If you have any paystubs, income tax returns, work contracts, or other documents related to your income, bring them with you to the consultation.

Documentation of Costs Incurred: Your Wellington spinal cord injury attorney will be interested in seeing any records of expenses you have incurred due to the accident such as home care costs, transportation, and child care.

A Description of What Happened: Write out everything you remember about the incident so you don’t forget any details during the consultation. Relevant details include the time, date, and location of the injury; what you were doing just beforehand; statements from the other parties involved and eyewitnesses; and whether any arrests were made.

Any Evidence Gathered at the Scene or Thereafter: If you were able to gather evidence at the scene or afterward that might help your lawyer prove liability, causation, or damages, bring it with you to the case evaluation. Examples include photos, videos, the police report, and eyewitness statements.

Your Insurance Policies: Do you have any insurance coverage that might pay out benefits? If so, bring that policy to the consultation. Even if you intend to bring the claim against the liable party’s insurance company, your personal injury attorney will want to know about any other potential avenues for pursuing compensation.

Relevant Contact Information: There are several parties whom your personal injury attorney might contact during the investigation. Examples include your medical providers, anyone who witnessed the accident, and the parties who were directly involved in your injury. If you have their contact information, bring it with you to the consultation.